1. Main Idea and Evidence Topic Sentences = Topic + Controlling Idea

2. Main Point/Assertion: An Overview identifies the main ideaEvery paragraph should include a main point/assertion (or topic sentence) that identifies the main idea of the paragraph. Generally, this sentence appears at the beginning of the paragraph. It is often the paragraph’s very first sentence.

3. Main Point/Assertion: Generally Specific A paragraph’s main point/assertion must be general enough to express the paragraph’s overall subject. But it should be specific enough that the reader can understand the paragraph’s main subject and point.

4. Main Point/Assertion: A tiny thesis Main point/assertion often act like tiny thesis statements. Like a thesis statement, a main point/assertion makes a claim of some sort.

5. Good vs. Needs Improvement The witch hunts happened in Salem in the 1690s.

6. Your Task & Examples Draft the main point/ assertion for four body paragraphs.

7. Sample Main Points/Assertions Arthur Miller exemplifies this definition of courage by the use of characterization. The setting of The Crucible is another element to justify the definition of courage.

8. Sample Main Points/Assertions One of the subjects on which Miller commented was that of the notion that there is only pure, white goodness and cruel, unbending evil.

9. Sample Main Points/Assertions Power plays a large part in the play. It has often been shown that most societies create some sort of scapegoat for any problems that they experience. In Salem in 1693 there was no balance between order and freedom.

10. MOVING FROM QUESTION TO MAIN POINT/ASSERTION

11. From Question to Main Point/ Assertion SUPPORTING QUESTION How are the Salem witch trials and McCarthyism the same? MAIN POINT/ASSERTION One of the many resemblance's that can be clearly seen is the way in which each of event, McCarthyism and the Salem witch hunts, had the ability to ruin a persons life through a simple accusation.

12. From Question to Main Point/ Assertion SUPPORTING QUESTION How are the Salem witch trials and McCarthyism the same? MAIN POINT/ASSERTION One of the many other resemblance's that can be seen between McCarthyism and The Crucible is the questions that were asked of those that were accused, and what they were required to do in order to save their reputation.

13. From Question to Main Point/ Assertion SUPPORTING QUESTION What is the history of witchcraft? MAIN POINT/ASSERTION For many hundred of years through out Europe, there was a belief in witchcraft.

14. From Question to Main Point/ Assertion SUPPORTING QUESTION Who is Senator McCarthy and what trials did he perform? MAIN POINT/ASSERTION Senator Joe McCarthy organized a twentieth-century version of witch- hunting.

15. From Question to Main Point/ Assertion SUPPORTING QUESTION Why did Miller write The Crucible? MAIN POINT/ASSERTION Arthur Miller wrote this play for a reason. He believed that the reader would discover the essential nature of one of the strangest and most awful chapters in human history.

16. Your Task & Examples Draft the main point/ assertion for four body paragraphs.

17. ADDING THE EVIDENCE AND EXPLANATION

18. Your Task & Examples Draft the main idea and supporting evidence for one body paragraph.

19. Your Turn! 1.Write a main point/assertion at the top of a page (don’t worry if this might change later). direct 2.Choose three or four direct quotes from your research that could help you support that main idea. 1.Write those quotes below your main idea 2.use quotation marks for the quote, add the page number in parentheses after the quote, and add a period after the parentheses 3.For each quote, write one or two sentences explaining why these quotes could be important for your paper.

20. Main Idea and Evidence #1 Supporting Question Supporting Question: How are the Salem witch trials and McCarthyism the same? Main Assertion Main Assertion: One of the many resemblance's that can be clearly seen is the way in which each of event, McCarthyism and the Salem witch hunts, had the ability to ruin a persons life through a simple accusation. Quote 1 Quote 1: “Why must it be written? Why must I say it?" (Miller 138, 140). Explanation 1 Explanation 1: When it comes time to confess, he knows that confessing will save his physical life, but at the same time it will ruin his reputation. Quote 2 Quote 2: President Truman once said "Character assassination is their stock in trade." (Lately 229). Explanation 2 Explanation 2: This comment by Truman shows how those accused of communism had their lives taken away from them.

21. Main Idea and Evidence #2 Supporting Question Supporting Question: How are the Salem witch trials and McCarthyism the same? Main Assertion Main Assertion: One of the many other resemblance's that can be seen between McCarthyism and The Crucible is the questions that were asked of those that were accused, and what they were required to do in order to save their reputation. Quote 1 Quote 1: "Let you repeat them, if you will. [Proctor:] The commandment?" (Miller 66). Explanation 1 Explanation 1: In The Crucible those that were accused of witchcraft were often asked to recite the ten commandments. When John Proctor was being accused he was asked to recite the ten commandment by Reverend Hale. Quote 2 Quote 2: "Recite for us your commandments." (Miller 58). Explanation 2 Explanation 2: Sarah Good was standing trial. She was asked by Judge Hathorne to say her commandments to prove she was with God. Quote 3 Quote 3: "Many employees, to keep their jobs, were required to take an oath of loyalty to the government" (Langer 43). Explanation 3 Explanation 3: To prove your innocence after an accusation of either witchcraft of communism you were often times required to recite some sort of pledge.

22. Example-Close Up Main Assertion: One of the many other resemblance's that can be seen between McCarthyism and The Crucible is the questions that were asked of those that were accused, and what they were required to do in order to save their reputation. Quote 1: "Let you repeat them, if you will. [Proctor] The commandment?" (Miller 66). Explanation 1: In The Crucible those that were accused of witchcraft were often asked to recite the ten commandments. When John Proctor was being accused he was asked to recite the ten commandment by Reverend Hale.